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Confident
Torquay Visit
10th February 2006
Lincoln City FC entertain Torquay United at Sincil Bank
on Saturday; kick-off is at 3pm.
Torquay will arrive in Lincoln in confident mood despite
being in the midst of a relegation battle. Even in their
worst nightmares, they could not have predicted such a
troubled 2005/06 season.
Last season, they were extremely unlucky to suffer
relegation to League Two, just a season after winning
promotion. It was only on the final day of the season
that their relegation was confirmed despite a points
tally that would have ensured safety in an average
season.
With that mind, many people tipped Torquay for a quick
return to League One and quite possibly, as winners of
League One.
What exactly has gone wrong remains a mystery but it has
recently cost Leroy Rosenior his job as Torquay manager.
Former Imps' loanee John Cornforth has taken over as
Torquay's manager, and he is in buoyant mood.
Speaking, Cornforth said: "I expect to go up to
Lincoln and win.
"That's the way I think, and hopefully that attitude
is starting to rub off on the players."
His confidence is fuelled by an unbeaten three match
tenure as manager. A 1-1 draw at Stockport has been
sandwiched between wins at Shrewsbury and last Saturday's
2-0 home victory against Leyton Orient.
However, there was one slight blip this week, when a
Torquay XI lost 2-1 to Conference club Forest Green
Rovers in a behind closed doors friendly. Cornforth was
reportedly unhappy with those players and several are
unlikely to earn a recall to the first team.
This could mean that Alan Connell, who is Torquay's joint
leading league goalscorer, does not play against Lincoln.
Connell is a familiar name to Lincoln's fans as he scored
against City when these two sides met at Torquay in
September.
As well as losing 2-1 to Torquay, it was a bleak day for
Lincoln, as they had three players dismissed. Lee Beevers
was the first to see red when he was sent off for a
second bookable offence. Next to go was Paul Morgan,
while goalkeeper Alan Marriott followed after an
appalling show of dissent.
Although there can be no excuse for the Torquay horror
show, Lincoln's players felt provoked and will no doubt
be keen to claim a victory to make amends.
Lincoln, who are unbeaten during 2006, are currently
eleventh in the table. This compares to Torquay who are
third from bottom and have lost ten of their sixteen away
league matches.
These two clubs first met in September 1961 when Torquay
won 3-1 at Sincil Bank in Division Three. For a full
historical round-up of results between these two clubs,
please click here.
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